Growing Tomatoes In Miami

I got back into gardening a few months ago. I decided to try to grow tomatoes over the summer. Big mistake. I seem to have chosen the wrong varieties to attempt this, but hopefully next year I will choose better varieties. Most say it can't be done, but we'll see.

Between the heat, rain, diseases, and insects, It is nearly impossible to grow tomatoes during summer in Miami. Dade County is the winter vegetable capital of the country, but summer here is impossible. There are some heat tolerant varieties, but the blight, horn worms, bacterial spot, spider mites, etc. are too much. I tried better boy, and one other I forget that I got from a local nursery. Next summer I will try flora-dade, tropic, and everglades.

Trim all your lower branches to avoid blight like that. Also keep a calcium spray on hand for the blossom rot. BT will take care of your worms and a little extra crowding will help them beat the heat, avoid ripping out suckers for added shade.

How hot was it? We have been 90s and high humidity here all summer also. Just some end rot to deal with.

I stopped by a local nursery to pick up some perlite. I asked them when the tomato plants were due. They said in about 2 weeks. Sounds like a good time to start seeds. Most all the seeds I have started so far have drowned.

I have several varieties started from seed in preparation for the main growing season here in Miami. The last couple of batches are doing fairly well compared to the earlier ones that I left exposed to the rain.